This application relates to mounting techniques for supporting vibratory elements from a non-vibratory support platform. The application relates in particular to techniques for supporting vibration structures which vibrate at sonic or ultrasonic frequencies, such as transducers, horns, boosters, and the like.
Such vibration structures typically undergo axial vibrations and include a series of half-wavelength sections with each section typically having a low (axial amplitude) nodal area and two high (axial) amplitude antinodal areas. Various types of mounting arrangements for supporting such vibration structures on a rigid support structure while substantially isolating the support structure from the vibrations have heretofore been utilized.
One prior mounting arrangement employs elastomeric O-rings Typically, a set of annular metal rings are used to respectively clamp O-rings against opposite sides of a mounting flange disposed on the vibration structure substantially at a nodal region. The clamping rings can be rigidly attached to a substantially rigid support structure, while minimizing the vibratory energy transmitted from the vibrating structure to the rigid structure. This vibration isolation is due to the absorbing and dampening properties of the elastomeric O-rings. The clamping of an annular nodal flange on a vibratory ultrasonic device from both sides of the flange has long been practiced.
However, the O-rings are subjected to wear and, in some applications, the use of an elastomeric O-ring reduces the ability to repeatedly position the vibration structure, due to the compliant nature of the rings. In order to provide enhanced stiffness or rigidity to the mount, metallic nodal mounts have been utilized. One such mount is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,866, which utilizes a pair of cylindrical flexural tubes, respectively bearing against opposite sides of the mounting flange on the vibration structure, and clamping means for clamping the tubes axially together and tightly against the opposite sides of the mounting flange.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,632,858 and 2,866,911 disclose techniques for supporting a magnetostrictive vibratory device by means of an elongated resonant tube, one end of which is connected to the vibratory device's nodal region, as by a threaded coupling or by soldering.